San Francisco Giants Luis Matos reaches home plate after hitting a bottom of the fifth inning home run against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Jun 26, 2024 (AP News photo)

On San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Michael, the Giants are getting some clutch hits and Wednesday was no different when Michael Conforto and David Villar both who hit back to back home runs in the second inning tying the game and set the tone of the Giants picking up their third straight win over the Chicago Cubs Monday through Wednesday.

#2 Luis Matos got the go ahead home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Matos hit his second home run of the season. Matos is hitting .240 how impressive and impactful has Matos hitting been in the Giants line up?

#3 With the loss the Cubs have now lost four straight they surfaced out of last place momentarily surpassing the Cincinnati Reds only to drop back into last place in the NL Central once again. The Cubs had been competitive and earlier a post season contender what changed and brought the lovable losers back to this present day?

#4 Talk about the debut of rookie pitcher Hayden Birdsong who was just called up from Triple A Sacramento and started for the parent club on Wednesday pitching 4.2 innings, giving three runs, six hits, and five strikeouts. Birdsong said he was stoked to pitch in a winning ball game in his big league debut.

#5 Michael talk about Thursday’s starters for the Cubs it’ll be LHP Shota Imanaga (7-2, ERA 2.96) and for the Giants RHP Jordan Hicks (4-4, ERA 3.24). Imanaga is having a good season and the Cubs despite their struggles have relied on Imanaga and have played well behind him. Hicks has pitched well enough to win games that he has lost and has a commanding ERA of 3.24.

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com